James Blake wins 2013 Mercury Prize with ‘Overgrown’
 

James Blake‘s ‘Overgrown’ has won the 2013 Barclaycard Mercury Prize. Blake’s debut LP was nominated in 2011 but lost to PJ Harvey’s ‘Let England Shake’.

Blake succeeds Alt-J who have won last year with the debut album ‘An Awesome Wave’. The 25 year old musician beat off competition from ‘heavyweights’ like David Bowie, Arctic Monkeys, alongside revelations as Savages, Disclosure and Laura Mvula (which was given as a favorite by punters).


Do you think this was a deserved victory?

Cheers,

I thought the Mercury Prize was only for new artists. Ah well, when put into perspective of who was nominated, a deserving winner.
Still think I prefer his self titled debut, but the grander; bigger Overgrown is probably more media friendly.
Wasn't much between his and Disclosure's albums though. Arctic Monkeys suck, Bowie's album was passable at best and haven't heard of the other two artists.
Would've been cool to see Acid Rap get a nomination though.

If James Blake had a year he should of won it, it wouldn't be this year. His other album the self titled one was far better

Yeah, I agree, but 2011 had stronger nominations and probably a more diverse field.
I'd have went with Ghostpoet's album from that year but to be fair I hadn't heard Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam until this year. And Let England Shake was a worthy victor.

Perhaps I should pay more attention to the Mercury Prize but then again Alt-J won last year so that makes me think I'm right to ignore it.
I'm pretty surprised Disclosure didn't win though, their music's been pretty inescapable since they first emerged.

Could Acid Rap even get nominated?

I'm not sure as to what the criteria is. If Acid Rap is technically a mixtape I guess not, but hip-hop seems to have been completely neglected outwith a few British artists in years gone by.

It's an album I think, but I thought it was just for British artists. Though I am sure 20 seconds of research would prove me wrong on that one.

James Blake didn't really beat off anyone to the award. A panel of so-called industry experts liked James Blake's album the most, and that's it.

I'm sure James Blake is delighted as it's great publicity and Mercury winning/nominated albums always see a huge icrease in sales. What I wanna know is why do the public care what a bunch of so-called experts think? And not just the Mercury Awards, the Oscars, Grammies, Cannes, Brits, why do people care if a select few say this is the best film, this is the best rock album, this is the best actress? I don't get it. :confused:

Yeah, how foolish of me. It is just British artists. My bad.
In that case, I'm satisfied with James Blake as a winner here.

Quick life lesson: The minority will always rule the majority, not everyone was made to be a leader. Most will blindly follow. And most people especially when it comes to different forms of media are incapable of formulating their own opinions and therefore it is necessary for the radio to shape the listening habits of casuals and the press/critiques to shape the listening habits of those that pretend they like music (really they just like getting told what to like)

Well, obviously, if you haven't yet heard, or bothered to listen to an album, and then it keeps winning awards, people will think "oh, I might check this out" and the turn out to like it. Seems obvious to me...